Students at Shiloh Point Elementary School have been enjoying an art and poetry display for the past couple weeks.

The display features the work of 10 Shiloh Point students and one from Riverwatch Middle, as well as several others from across Georgia, who won state awards last year in the River of Words competition.

The contest is affiliated with the Library of Congress and seeks to encourage students to explore their local watershed environment. They then express through poetry and art what they discover.

Tanya Cheeves’ gifted students at Shiloh Point created both poems and pieces of art for the contest.

“We submitted 150 entries from our school and had 10 state winners,” Cheeves said. “We were really proud of our students.”

Shiloh Point Principal Rebecca Johnson said the program encourages students to use their imaginations while learning about nature.

“The nice thing about this program is it utilizes [teaching] standards from all different disciplines and leverages children’s curiosity,” she said.

Some of the winning students from Shiloh Point drew animals like whales, fish, birds and skinks.

Third-grader Katy Gates won in both the art and poetry categories.

She said she was surprised she won for both works.

“Ms. Cheeves told us someone had won for both and I didn’t think it would be me, but then it was me and I was really excited,” she said.

The exhibit, featuring winning entries from elementary through high school students, is traveling to sites around the state.

Its next stop, open to the public, will be the Forsyth County Board of Education Office on Dahlonega Highway.